A man claiming royal lineage as a direct descendant of the Kings of France has failed in his legal attempt to challenge the New Orleans Saints’ trademark of the fleur-de-lis symbol. Michel J Messier argued that his family’s alleged intellectual property rights to the symbol should supersede the NFL franchise’s trademark registration dating back to 1974. However, the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit dismissed Messier’s appeal, citing his failure to demonstrate any commercial interest or tangible harm from the Saints’ use of the symbol in professional football entertainment.

The court emphasized the necessity for a concrete, specific injury to establish standing for a federal appeal, which Messier did not meet. His claims of potential future use or licensing of the fleur-de-lis design were deemed too speculative to warrant legal action under the US Constitution. Additionally, references to cultural appropriation and historical significance of the symbol were deemed irrelevant to trademark injury considerations.

Represented by attorney Julie S Goldemberg, the Saints maintain trademarks not only for the fleur-de-lis but also for phrases like “New Orleans Saints” and “Saints.” The court’s ruling solidified the symbol’s association with football merchandise and helmets in American law, distancing it from its historical roots in European heraldry. Ultimately, the decision upheld the Saints’ longstanding use of the fleur-de-lis in the realm of professional sports branding, despite claims of ancestral ties to the symbol.